Labour suffered bruising losses across its northern heartlands as Nigel Farage took a victory lap in Merseyside. After these local elections, does the party have any strongholds left? Dan Haygarth reports

As Labour faces record-breaking losses in Thursday’s local elections, prime minister says rivals are unfit to lead

Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and Tamworth